Columnist Park Jung-bae, who has long connected with readers through rich food stories grounded in solid source material, has visited Daegu. Through a four-part series covering everything from fried chicken and street food to red broth and offal, he takes a peek into the dining tables of the people of Daegu. Take a moment to catch your breath. You might get tipsy just by reading this.

The 'Daegu Chimaek Festival,' which had been suspended for three years due to COVID-19, was held again in July 2022. Daegu's Chimaek Festival is a symbolic event that confirms the status of the chicken industry based on Daegu's chicken culture. Hot Daegu finds happiness in sweet and savory chicken, which harmonizes umami, sweetness, and saltiness, along with refreshing draft beer. 'Chimaek,' which refers to the act of eating chicken and beer together, was listed in the Oxford English Dictionary in October 2021 alongside K-Drama, Hallyu, and Mukbang, and has begun to walk the path of a leader rather than a consumer, much like semiconductors or K-pop.

According to the September 25, 2022 issue of *Sisa Journal*, “The number of chicken restaurants in Korea listed on portal sites reaches 65,000. Of these, franchise chicken restaurants account for 41% of all chicken outlets, totaling 26,134, and as of September this year, the number of chicken brands registered with the Fair Trade Commission is 720.” Daegu has 3,211 chicken restaurants, ranking sixth among the 16 metropolitan cities and provinces. More important than the numbers is the fact that the chicken culture originating in Daegu has exerted a significant influence since the 1980s, when the chicken industry first emerged, and this influence continues to this day.

In the 1971 <National Telephone Directory by Occupation> as well

Daegu's 'Baekmagang' and the Daegu branch of Seoul's Myeongdong 'Tongdak Center' appear.

Korean Fried Chicken Dining Out

Koreans have traditionally consumed whole chickens. Although the consumption of specific cuts has become more popular today, the notion that "a chicken is meant to be a whole" persists, and in Daegu, "Jesa Tongdak"—a whole fried chicken—is also sold. The culture of "Baeksuk," where a whole chicken is boiled in water, evolved into Samgyetang. The popularization of Korean chicken culture as a dining-out activity began in the early 1960s when egg-laying hens were separated from broiler chickens intended for meat production. The poultry industry took off in earnest with the import of Broilers, a breed specifically for meat production, in 1965. At that time, chicken culture as a dining-out experience was the era of electric-grilled whole chickens, as evidenced by an article in the September 1965 issue of *Shindonga*, which read: "I swallowed my saliva at the mention of electric-grilled whole chicken, but when I opened the door to a place, it was absolutely packed with no room to even stand, so I went to another place. It was packed there as well." In 1971, Daegu’s ‘Baekmagang’ and the Daegu branch of Seoul’s Myeongdong ‘Tongdak Center’ also appeared in the <National Telephone Directory by Occupation>. Since the Korean War, Daegu has grown into a center for the production and distribution of chicken, which is the most suitable source of protein. This was because chickens, which can be eaten in about 60 days—unlike large livestock such as cows or pigs that take a long time to raise—had the advantage of being able to be raised even during times of war. Broilers, which are large-breasted chickens raised for frying, experienced rapid growth following the introduction of cooking oil from Haepyo in 1971, becoming known as ‘Gamasot Tongdak’ or ‘Market Tongdak,’ referring to chicken fried in a cast-iron pot.

From whole chicken to fried chicken

When the American chicken franchise KFC landed in Japan in 1970 and gained great popularity, quick-thinking importers began importing and selling pressure fryers. It was truly a momentous event in which the name and preparation method of the food changed, transforming Korean whole chicken into chicken. This marked the first appearance of the fried chicken style in Korea. “As it gained popularity among people who found it burdensome to eat a whole chicken because it was sold in six pieces for 600 won per piece, these shops sprang up every 10 meters in the university district around Sinchon, and even general entertainment establishments came forward to sell Kentucky Fried Chicken (October 28, 1980, <Maeil Business Newspaper>),” and as chicken in pieces gained popularity, “from a business perspective, it is possible with small capital of around 10 million won including store rent, and because it is relatively profitable, they spring up like mushrooms, and a Kentucky Fried Chicken shop spread every few houses (February 4, 1981, <Maeil Business Newspaper>).”

The emergence of the dinosaur KFC, which conquered the world,

For small, neighborhood-level Korean fried chicken shops, it was a reality that threatened their livelihoods.

From this time on, a rebellion of natives for survival begins, centered around Daegu.

As it became possible to easily start a business and make money with minimal capital, the era of "chicken in pieces" began in earnest. "Lim's Chicken," established by a department store's food division in 1977, was South Korea's first chicken franchise. With KFC officially launching operations in Korea in 1984, the nation entered the era of fried chicken and franchises. Fried chicken, made by coating marinated chicken with starch powder and steaming it before frying, became the king of mass dining out due to its balanced composition of protein, fat, carbohydrates, and salt. The emergence of the global giant KFC threatened the livelihoods of small, neighborhood-level Korean chicken shops. From this point on, a rebellion of locals for survival began, centered in Daegu.

In 1985, Mr. Yoon Jong-gye first introduced seasoned fried chicken at Kyesung Tongdak (currently Mexican Chicken) in Daegu.

The reaction was explosive as soon as it was released.

Daegu's Seasoned Fried Chicken and Native Chicken Become Pioneers of K-Chicken

In 1985, Mr. Yoon Jong-gye first introduced seasoned fried chicken at Kyesung Tongdak (currently Mexican Chicken) in Daegu. It was a seasoned chicken made by adding sweet corn syrup to the spicy seasoning ingredients Koreans love—garlic, onion, ginger, and red chili powder—in an effort to "solve the problem of the chicken becoming dry and losing its flavor when it cools." The response was explosive immediately upon its release. Mr. Yoon even remarked at the time that he "pushed money with a bulldozer." Thanks to this popularity and the sharing of information that emerged in the same space, companies such as Pelicana, Cheogajip Yangnyeom Tongdak, and Mexicana opened in Daegu around the same time. Their success in the franchise business sparked a seasoned fried chicken craze nationwide. The March 23, 1990 issue of the *Dong-A Ilbo* covered this popularity with an article titled, "Reclaiming Our Taste Buried by the West: Seasoned Fried Chicken in Great Popularity Nationwide."

However, seasoned fried chicken, which featured a strong combination of sweet and spicy flavors, declined after the 1990s. Its place was taken by soy sauce fried chicken, which enhanced the subtle umami flavor with soy sauce. According to the June 16, 2021 issue of the Daegu Ilbo titled "Daegu, the Birthplace of Franchise Chicken," there is also a theory that soy sauce fried chicken originated at "Daegu Tongdak" in 1978. Meanwhile, it was Kyochon Chicken that popularized and industrialized soy sauce fried chicken. Kyochon Chicken established a new chicken culture by combining chicken parts, such as wings, with soy sauce. Starting in Gumi, Gyeongsangbuk-do in 1991, Kyochon Chicken grew based in Daegu before becoming a nationwide brand. Kyochon Chicken, Hosigi Two-Chicken, Ddangddang Chicken, and Byeolbyeol Chicken all have their roots in Daegu. Korean-style fried chicken, which originated in Daegu, has become a favorite food of the entire nation thanks to its rich flavor and aroma—a seasoning that combines spiciness, the umami of soy sauce, and sweetness—combined with a batter made from various starches, tender small chickens (No. 10 chickens), and just the right amount of salt.

In 2013, the Daegu Chimaek Festival was launched, based on Daegu's chicken industry. This privately-led festival grew into a nationwide event in 2019, featuring 135 chicken brands and attracting over one million visitors, and Daegu earned the honorable title of the "Holy Land of Chimaek." Daegu stands at the starting point of K-Chicken, which began as a rebellion of local ingredients and laid the golden egg of a new food culture and industry.

Illustration | Chicken Table, starting in Daegu and adorning the entire nation.

**External contributions to the Editorial Department are intended to provide a multifaceted perspective on local culture and industry and may differ from the views of the Editorial Department.

Park Jung-bae

He researches the historical culture of Korean, Chinese, and Japanese cuisine and explores the field. Historical sources, which surge throughout his writing, transport the reader to the vivid heart of food history. He has serialized works such as "Park Jung-bae’s Birth of Korean Cuisine" and "The Decisive Menu" in the *Chosun Ilbo*, and serves as an advisor or makes appearances on broadcast programs like Netflix’s *Hanwoo Rhapsody*. He also runs food-related lecture academies such as the "Soup Academy" and "Noodle School." His published works include *Dumplings: A Cultural History of Dumplings and Gyoza in Korea, China, and Japan* and *Food Landscape*.